1. A pronoun replaces a name; its form shows its role
Imagine you are already discussing a particular document. Instead of repeating the document, you can say it. Object pronouns — me, you, him, her, it, us, them — are used, among other things, as objects of verbs or after prepositions.
An object specifies who or what a verb concerns: whom we hear, what we use, whom we know. This is a grammatical role, not necessarily a person physically receiving an action. In I like them, nobody transfers anything: them names the people or things I like.
The document is ready. Please read it.
The document is ready. Please read it.
It replaces the document in the request; the previous sentence makes it clear what to read.
I like these lamps. I like them.
I like these lamps. I like them.
Them replaces several things. Like describes an attitude, not the transfer of an object.
2. Seven forms: what changes and what stays the same
Useful pairs: I → me, you → you, he → him, she → her, it → it, we → us, they → them. The form on the left helps identify the participant; the one on the right is needed in an object role. You and it have the same spelling in both roles.
Me refers to the speaker in an object role; us refers to a group including the speaker. For someone already referred to as he, use him; for she, use her. Do not choose a pronoun based on a name, occupation or appearance: use the person's known pronouns or sufficient context.
I → me · you → you · he → him · she → her · it → it · we → us · they → them
She is here. I can see her.
She is here. I can see her.
In the first sentence, she is the subject; in the second, her is the object of see. The person is the same.
He is on the phone. Can you hear him?
He is on the phone. Can you hear him?
Him continues the already established he; it is not a guess based on a name.
Tell us the time, please.
Tell us the time, please.
Us is a group that includes the speaker. More information may follow us: the time.
3. After a verb — but look at the relationship, not just the position
In simple constructions such as help me, call him, know her, use it and invite them, the object pronoun follows its verb. A question or negative does not change this form: Can you help me? / You don't know me.
Not every pronoun to the right of a verb is its object. In I think she knows him, she begins the next part of the thought — she knows him. It is him that is the object of knows. Mechanically changing every pronoun after the first verb will therefore cause errors.
subject + verb + object pronoun: I + know + her
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- object / O —
- Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.
- pronoun —
- A word used instead of naming a person or thing: I, you, she, it, they.
Can you help me?
Can you help me?
Me relates to help. You identifies the person being asked to help and is the subject here.
I don't know them.
I don't know them.
Negation does not turn them into they.
I think she knows him.
I think she knows him.
She is the person who knows; him is the person known. Analyse these roles within the clause she knows him.
4. With a preposition: for me, to him, with us
When a personal pronoun is the object of a preposition, use its object form: for me, to you, with him, about her, at it, from us, without them. Different prepositions do not change that form: for me and with me both use me.
Learn each short construction as a whole: wait for someone, listen to someone, look at something. Do not add to to every verb: help me and call her are already constructed without it.
preposition + object pronoun: for us · with them · to her
- object / O —
- Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.
- preposition —
- A word showing a relationship, such as in, on or from: from Ukraine.
- pronoun —
- A word used instead of naming a person or thing: I, you, she, it, they.
Please wait for me.
Please wait for me.
Me follows for in the construction wait for.
Give it to him, please.
Give it to him, please.
It names the thing after give, while him names the person after to. These are two different relationships in one sentence.
Come with us.
Come with us.
With does not change us to we: the speaker is inviting someone to join their group.
5. One thing, several things and an identified person
For one ordinary thing, use it: a bag → it, a phone → it. For several things or people, use them: two bags → them, my neighbours → them. Them does not refer only to people.
They/them is also used for one person, including when their gender is unknown or they use these pronouns. Do not regard them as wrong merely because the context concerns one person. In exercises with him/her, the required pair is given; in other cases, do not guess it.
A pronoun should clearly refer to a person or thing. If there are two possible people nearby and it is unclear who him means, repeating the name is helpful clarification, not a failure to use pronouns.
The keys are here. Take them.
The keys are here. Take them.
There are several keys, so use them; these are things, not people.
The bag is heavy. Can you carry it?
The bag is heavy. Can you carry it?
The ordinary singular thing bag is referred to as it; a noun's gender in another language does not determine the English pronoun.
A new guest is here. Please help them.
A new guest is here. Please help them.
Them can refer to one person for whom he or she has not been specified.
6. Who is speaking now: me, us or you?
Me is the current speaker, us is a group including the current speaker, and you is the person or people being addressed. You works equally for one person, several people and a polite form of address.
Do not copy pronouns automatically in a dialogue. If the other speaker says Help me, the same person is you in your reply: I can help you. If a group asks Help us, you can likewise answer I can help you, addressing the whole group.
Can you call me? — Yes, I can call you.
Can you call me? — Yes, I can call you.
The speaker has changed: me in the first turn becomes you in the reply.
This table is for you.
This table is for you.
Without more context, you does not tell us whether one person or several are meant.
We need help. Can you help us?
We need help. Can you help us?
We are speaking on behalf of a group we belong to: we in the first clause and us after help.
7. Express your meaning naturally and check your work
In I like them, I is the person who has the positive feeling; them names the people or things that person likes. They like me expresses a different meaning, because it reverses these roles. Keep the intended meaning instead of mechanically rearranging pronouns.
Before answering, ask yourself: who or what does the pronoun refer to; am I included in this group; what is its role with the particular verb or preposition? Afterwards, check whether the listener will understand who is meant.
This lesson does not cover the entire system of subjects, possessive forms or reflexive pronouns. For example, her in I know her replaces a person, whereas her in her bag shows whose bag it is — a different role. Open exercises provide a model and criteria for self-checking; you do not have to match the model, and there is no automatic judgement of whether your own text is correct.
I like them. They like me.
I like them. They like me.
Changing I/them to they/me reverses the direction of the attitude, not merely the word order.
I know her. Her bag is blue.
I know her. Her bag is blue.
In know her, her is an object; in her bag, it shows possession. Identical spelling does not mean an identical role.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:Can you help I?
Correct:Can you help me?
After help, we name the person needing help with the object form me. I is ungrammatical here.
Incorrect:This letter is for she.
Correct:This letter is for her.
The letter is intended for someone with she/her pronouns. After for, use her, not she.
Incorrect:I need they.
Correct:I need them.
The reference is to documents already mentioned. Them is the object of need; they cannot perform that role in this sentence.
Incorrect:Please wait for we.
Correct:Please wait for us.
The speaker is asking someone to wait for their group. After for, use us, not we.
Incorrect:I like her.
Correct:I like it.
Context: the speaker means one ordinary cup. Her can grammatically refer to a person, but changes the intended meaning here; use it for the cup, regardless of the noun's gender in another language.
Incorrect:They like me.
Correct:I like them.
The intended meaning is that the speaker likes them. The first sentence is grammatical, but says that they like the speaker — the roles have been reversed.
Incorrect:I think her knows him.
Correct:I think she knows him.
Her does not become an object simply by following think. The clause she knows him needs the subject she; him remains the object of knows.